1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a removable locking device for peripheral devices and, more specifically, a removable computer peripheral locking device and a method for preventing removable peripheral devices from being removed from the computer while the power is on.
2. Background Art
A typical peripheral device is attached through a peripheral port on a computer and is prevented from accidentally separating from the computer by a safety device, such as a rib on the bottom or on the side of the computer. The extra space required for mounting a specific peripheral safety device is becoming an increasingly difficult design problem as computers are being built progressively more compactly due to increasing technological demands. Many computers are capable of interfacing with a wide variety of peripheral devices, thus providing computer users with greater freedom in the selection of additional peripheral devices for their computers.
This has led to the development of different ways to prevent a peripheral device, such as a hard disk driver, a floppy disk driver, and a cable master, from accidentally disconnecting from a computer. Generally, a user should separate removable peripheral devices from the main body of a computer system after turning OFF the power supply of the computer system. Some techniques developed to prevent the separation of peripheral devices from a computer are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,214,172 to See entitled Interlock for Power Sources in Data Processing Apparatus, U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,281 to Young entitled Cable/Computer Peripheral Lock, U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,841 to Darden entitled Adapter and a Removable Slide-In Cartridge for an Information Storage System, U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,815 to Davidge entitled Device-Port Locking Covers, U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,415 to Mitcham entitled Automatic Computer Docking Station Having a Motorized Tray, Cammed Side Connectors, Motorized Side Connectors, and Locking and Unlocking Guide Pins, U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,319 to Holley entitled Desktop Computer Locking Assembly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,510,955 to Taesang entitled Cage in Computer Equipment for Locking Peripheral Equipment Therewithin Using Hooked Lockpins, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,587,878 to Tsai entitled Anti-Theft Mechanism in a Computer System Having Removable Modules.
Contemporary techniques for securing peripheral devices often allow a peripheral device to be removed from a computer while the computer's power is still on. This can result in damaging the peripheral device and temporarily preventing further use of the computer. I believe it may be possible to improve on the contemporary art by providing a peripheral device locking system and method that prevents peripheral devices from being separated from a computer while the power is on, that is economical to manufacture, that can be retrofitted onto existing peripheral devices, that avoids the loss of data due to accidental disconnections, and that avoids damage to the computer due to accidental disconnections.